Yarn manufacture



Feb.4,1941. QQBRANDT Em 2,290,999

YARN MANUFACTURE Filed July 5l, 1936 ATTORNE Patented Feb. 4, 1941 y UNITED srATEs PATENT OFFICE YARN MANUFACTUBE setts Application July 31, 1936, Serial No. 93,592

14 Claims.

The invention is an improvement in yarn manufacture and its object, in general, is to reduce the number of operations, and the number of machines required, for converting drawingframe sliver into yarn of good quality, or to perform those usual operations with better results, and more particularly the object is to provide a practical process and apparatus for reducing drawing-frame sliver by one passage through one machine to the condition of roving, ready for the spinning-frame, and this special application of the invention is described herein by way of illustration of the new principles involved.

In the drawing, Figs. 1 and 2 represent in vertical section and partial plan respectively, the essential parts of such a one-passage machine embodying the improvements referred to Fig. 3 being a perspective of the guide, Fig. 4 a modification of its adjustment, and Fig. 5 a preferred form of sliver trumpet.

The sliver, direct from the can or otherwise, is run through a plurality of pairs, or groups of pairs of draft rolls, driven at successively higher speeds and collectively imparting the degree of attenuation or draft that is necessary for reducing the sliver to the roving size desired. For the case in hand the sliver, which will be understood to be a strand or rope of fibres, substantially round in section and containing little or no twist, may range in weight between say 25 and 80 grains, and the roving derived therefrom may range from 1.35 to 9.5 hank. The invention has been conceived and developed in connection with the manufacture of cotton yarn and spun rayon but is not limited to these fibres.

The structure and spacing adjustments of the draft rolls, and the draft ratios at which they work may be left to the judgment of the operator according to the circumstances. explanation, the total draft of the system may be assumed to be divided about as follows:

The draft couple represented by the pairs of rolls I I and 2 2, and which may be referred to as representing the initial draft stage of the system, may have a speed ratio or draft of say about six. The draft of the couple 2 2 and 3 3 may be just enough above unity as will suffice to keep a desirable tautness in the stock passing from one pair of rolls to the other, say from 1.05 to 1.1, while the draft of the couple 3 3 and 4 4 will be such as to impart the remainder of the necessary total draft required, say up to as much as 7 or 10. From the rolls 4 4 the drafted stock or roving proceeds to the spindle (not shown) by which it is twisted or spun as the case may be.

ina

For purpose of' Higher drafts are practical in any draft stage by the use of drafting aprons or belts, which are shown in the present case as applied to the rolls 3 3 and indicated at 5. Such aprons being Well-miown in the art, will not require description further than to point out that their function is to carry the stock along and close up into the bite of the next rolls while the fibres are undergoing-the drafting action.

vThe stock enters the system, through a trumpet 6, carried on the usual traverse bar 1, and as it emerges from the first draft stage, that is, from rolls 2 2, it is in a somewhat fiattened condition, due to the draft and to the rather considerable top roll pressure which spreads the fibres out.

According to this invention, the spread-out fibres of the flattened strand emerging from rolls 2 2 are preserved in that identical arrangement and are conducted, without reassembly, to the bite of the rolls (or aprons) of the next succeeding draft stage, and introduced into the latter in what may be called an edgewise relation, which is'to say, with the flatwise dimension of the strand in a planev at substantially 90 to the bite-line of the rolls. The spreading effect of the first rolls is thus neutralized by the succeeding rolls and the succeeding drafting is thereby done on a narrow strand which is composed of fibres practically undisturbed from their first treatment. In consequence, it is found that the drafting is performed with better efficiency, due 'apparently to the elimination of a considerable dragging and straining and possibly breaking of libres that is now recognized as occurring in the use of condensing trumpets or twister heads between the rolls which devices operate by gathering together and re-assembling the fibers of the strand. The roll pressure of a later draft stage acts on the strand at about righ-t angles to the roll pressure that was exerted on 4it in an earlier stage and with no intervening rearrangement orr reassembly of the fibres, except such slight endwise shifting or relative slipping of the fibres as may be due to the draft, if any, applied to the stock in its passage.

The conducting element by which the strand is thus guided turns it to the edgewise position against the tendency which the strand has to assume its natural flat path from one pair of rolls to the other, and in order to be effective for this purpose, as we have found, should engage the fiat face of the strand by a considerable length of spread of guiding surface as otherwise the strand, in striving to regain its natural path tends to crush itself against the wall or walls of the guide, which latter then becomes no different in effect from the ordinary trumpet and produces a general rearrangement of the fibers which it is the important object of this invention to avoid. The guide shown comprises 'a plate l, which is bent, cast or otherwise contrived to provide a twisted or skew guidance surface, so that the strand of stock entering onto its more nearly horizontal end and travelling along it will be thereby gradually turned a quarter-turn, or to edgewise position. However designed, the guide is carried on a traverse bar 9, mounted to reciprocate back andrforth in step with the traversing trumpet 6, the purpose of the traversing being as usual to avoid irregular wear of the rolls or aprons.

The guiding function of the skew plate l is supplemented by the use of an adjacent complementary plate I of somewhat the same surface contour, but of shorter length, and such as to form with the plate 8 a narrow and slightly convergent crevice through which the at strand 'passes and by which it is supported in the edgewise position and also somewhat condensed. It is best that both these plates be set to guide the stock close up into the bite of the aprons 5 5 for winch purpose their exit ends are pointed as indicated at Il in the drawing, thus to give the closest possible entry. This also increases the length of the guiding or turning surface which thus extends practically the full distance between the roll bites. It is pointed out that the condensing action of the convergent crevice just referred to is fiatwise on the strand, exerted on it in the same direction as the pressure that was exerted. on it by the rolls 2 2, and is therefore not a reassembly of the fibres.

In the best form, the crevice-forming surfaces are so contoured with reference to the grasping action which the aprons have on the fibres, as to preserve and continue the flat 'section of the strand right up to the bite-line or as close to it as possible. The appropriate contouring is represented by a slight flaring of the proximate surfaces of the points Il, making the width of the crevice slightly wider between the points than immediately back of them, thereby counteract-A ing a tendency for the strand to become thinner along its center as it approaches the aprons. Also and as a further means of promoting a uniform width and thickness at this point and assuring effective quarter-turning, the sliver is given a flattened form as it enters the first stage of the system. This is done by making the trumpet 6 with a horizontally oblong or rectangular orifice l2, rather than with the usual round hole. These auxiliary features promote the general principles of the invention as will now be apparent.

In the guide illustrated, the auxiliary plate l0 is clamped to the base structure of the skew plate 8 by means of a set screw I3, by the use of which the width of the guiding slot or crevice can be adjusted. A modified and practical adjustment means is shown in Fig. 4, wherein the conductor plates l and I0, representing the series of guides between two lines of draft rolls, are respectively carried on parallel, companion traverse bars 9 and appropriately mounted for endwise reciprocation, and these bars are adjustable relatively to each other by some such means as that indicated at Ha, so as to provide the convenience of adjusting simultaneously the crevices of several or all of the guides in the 2,2so,s99 v frame. To the extent that this simultaneous in the direction of travel so that the fibers are subjected to the least disturbance in making contact with such surfaces and the crevice is open at its top, so as to be easy threading, and preferably also it is open at the bottom. Thus formed, the conductor produces less lint or fly than even an ordinary trumpet but yet reliably maintains the fiat section and edgewise entry of the strand over a considerable range of variation of sliver weight. For greater variations, the width of the crevice is adjusted accordingly and in all cases insures the flat section and edgewise entry.

All the traverse bars, it will be understood, and also the bottom rolls of the drafting system are extended into the drive-head I5 at one end of the frame wherein they are respectively driven in the appropriate manner and at the proper relative speeds. Also it will be understood that all of the appurtenances usual to drafting systems, such as the top-roll weighting mechanism adequate to prevent slipping of the heavy stock beneath them, clearer devices, etc., are to be taken as present though not shown. These parts are omitted because their function and design are well understood and they will be readily supplied by the manufacturer to meet the specific requirements. A machine constructed on the principles above described may be utilized with practical advantage at any point in the manufacture of sliver into yarn in substitution for one or more of the present usual steps, according to the judgment of the user and the I character of the yarn.

We claim:

1. In textile apparatus of the kind described, a roving guide between pairs of rolls comprising relatively stationary opposed convergent substantially flat surfaces extended in the direction of stock travel for conducting fibrous stock from the first pair to the second and having a condensing action on such stock only in the direction of the action thereon of the roll pressure of said first pair.

2. In textile apparatus of the kind described, a roving guide located between pairs of horizontal rolls and comprising two adjacent plates forming a vertical crevice between them, said plates having pointed ends extending toward the bite of the receiving pair of rolls and adapted to deliver stock to the latter in edgewise relation.

3. In textile apparatus, a plurality of guides for conducting stock from one line of drafting rolls to another, each guide comprising opposed guiding surfaces, and said surfaces of each guide being respectively carried on companion traverse bars which -are relatively adjustable to control simultaneously the size of the passageways through all said guides.

4. In apparatus of the kind described, means for quarter-turning strands of stock passing from one line of rolls to another line of rolls, comprising a series of guides having crevices for the respective` strands, means for simultaneously traversing said guides and means for simultaneously adjusting the widths of all of said crevices.

5. In textile apparatus of the kind described, the combination 0f groups or pairs of draft rolls,

the rst delivering a att'ened strand of roving to the second, and a guide between the groups comprising opposed vertical surfacesforming a convergent upwardly open crevice between them adapted to guide the nattened strand in edgewise position into the second group.

6. In textile apparatus 'oi the kind described, the combination of a rst group of pairs of draft rolls delivering a attened strand of roving to a second such group, and conducting means extending between the groupshaving opposed elements forming a vertical crevice, adapted to present the strand in edgewise relation to the receiving group, one of said elements being movably mounted with respect to the other.

7. In apparatus of the kind described, the combination of two successive groups of draft rolls, conductor means between them adapted to quarter-turn the iiattened strand -and deliver it edgewise to the second group and comprising opposed vertical guide elements forming a crevice between them and a vertical pivot mounting for one of said guide elements on which it is movable to vary the width of said vertical crevice.

8. In textile apparatus of the kind described, the combination with two successive groups of roving-drafting rolls, of means for quarter-turning the flattened strand from the iirst into edgewise position for entry into the second, comprising a roving conductor having opposed elements adjacent the second group forming between them a vertical substantially ilat crevice, one of said elements extending into proximity to the first group and forming a supporting surface for the :dat side of the brous strand delivered thereby.

9. In textile apparatus of the kind described, the combination with a delivering and a receiving group of rolls, of a roving conductor between said groups adapted for quarter-turning the attened iibrous strand emerging from one group to edgewise position for entry into the other group and including a supporting surface for the at side of the strand which extends for substantially the full distance between said groups.

10. In textile apparatus of the kind described, the combination of two groups of pairs of rolls and a quarter-turn roving conductor between them comprising members having opposed surfaces, adapted to support the at sides of the strand passing from one group to the other, said surfaces being substantially parallel but contoured to relieve the pressure at the center of the strand leaving said conductor.

11. In textile apparatus of the kind described, two successive groups of pairs of rolls, a quarterturn roving conductor between them comprising opposed guiding elements for supporting one of the at sides of the strand emergent from the nrst group, one of said elements extending the major part of the distance between the groups and both having pointed delivery ends.

12. In textile apparatus of the kind described, two successive groups of pairs of draft rolls and stock-conducting means comprising a preliminary conductor for giving the iibrous stock a iiat section for the action of the rollsA of the rst group and an intermediate conductor for guiding the at stock from that group into edgewise entry into the second group, said latter conductor comprising a receiving part disposed at an inclination from vertical and a delivery part providing a vertical crevice closely adjacent to the second group of rolls.

13. In textile apparatus of the kind described, a roving guide adapted for quarter-turning a flattened iibrous strand emerging from a pair of rolls and delivering it in edgewise relation to another pair, comprising two members with opposed convergent substantially ilat surfaces forming a vertical crevice located closely adjacent to the receiving rolls, and open at the top for easy introduction of the flat strand when threading up, one of said members being extended toward the other pair oi rolls and there located in a position to support a at side of the strand and partially turn the strand as it approaches the vertical position.

14. In textile apparatus of the kind described, a guide for quarter-turning a attened strand oi roving emerging from a pair of rolls and delivering it in edgewise position to another pair of rolls, comprising two opposed, convergent surfaces forming a vertical crevice between them at the end of the guide that is adjacent to the receiving rolls, one of said surfaces being skewed toward the other end of the guide, forming a con'- tinuously smooth support for a fiatside of the strand adapted to start the turning of the strand before it reaches its vertical position in said crev.

ice and the other surface having a condensing action on the strand only in the horizontal direction.

CARL D. BRANDT.- OI'I'O W. SCHLUMS. 

